Highlights from a dialogue with Justice Kennedy

October 04, 2013

The evening of Oct. 3 U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy took part in a Q&A with Penn Law Dean Michael Fitts and Law School alumni. The event, held in Fitts Auditorium, was part of Penn Law’s new Visiting Jurist Program, designed to promote closer ties between eminent members of the judiciary and law students. As part of his time at Penn Law October 2 - 4, Kennedy participated in dialogues on the law with students as well as alumni, and taught a class in constitutional law, in addition to other activities.

During the discussion Justice Kennedy discussed the role of law schools and the importance of ethics in legal education, and touched upon current topics such as cameras in the Supreme Court, and offered insightful advice about the role of the Court in today’s world, noting, “Democracy is not on automatic pilot,” and “the rule of law requires constant vigilance by the people.”

In response to a question from a member of the audience on the Court’s decisions over the years on gay rights and same-sex marriage, Kennedy replied, in part, “The nature of injustice is that you can’t see it in your own time.”